~Three Years Earlier~
I swore I would never forget that day. It was the twenty-third of May, three years ago. It was freshman year, out at the Livingston High football field. It was at the end of the school year, and we were just finishing up securing our spots for the team next year. Kyle was the King of Livingston back then, because he was the quarterback of our junior varsity team. With him, we never lost a game. Anyways, Kyle, Evan, and I were in the locker rooms after showering, and the second most popular guy in school, the JV’s wide receiver, senior Gary Washington and his band of idiots, began teasing us as always.
“What do you want, Gary,” Evan asked with that same fierceness in his voice he has today.
Don’t get me wrong, Gary was very intimidating, but only Evan had the courage to stand up to him to the point of fighting him. He was almost six-feet-tall, ebony skin, dark brown eyes, jet black hair, bulging biceps; the epitome of big and scary.
“You faggots got in my way today,” he scolded, towering over us. Back in those days, I was the quiet one. The shy guy who followed in the rear. Kyle and Evan were the leaders, standing up to everyone and everything.
Evan stood up and began sizing up Gary, even though he was considerably shorter than the senior and his goons, “What are you going to do about it?”
“Evan,” I called out, pulling him back by his shoulder. I turned to Gary and smiled shyly, “Sorry! Coach told us to pay no mind to the seniors, we didn’t mean to-“
“Shut up, queer,” one of his friends shouted, causing me to cower back and sit back down on the wooden bench. That’s when Kyle shot up and stormed over to the trio.
“Hey! How about you dicks fuck off and go jerk each other off, yeah? We can’t help it if we play the game better than you.”
Gary stepped toe-to-toe with Kyle and beamed down at him. It was starting to heat up in the locker room, and all of the guys watched. The senior male was ready to fight, alongside his goonies. Kyle geared up too, and Evan stood behind him ready. I hated where this was going, so I had to literally pry Kyle away from Gary.
“Guys, calm down! Listen, it’s the last practice of the school year. We get out of school next week for Summer Break. We don’t need to have any fights now!”
“Your little boyfriend is right. Step down before you get beat down,” the third had chimed in.
Evan growled in response and was ready to pounce, “You have one. More. TIME! To crack a gay joke before I shove all of your asses into Funky Fred’s locker,” Funky Fred was the biggest, sweatiest guy on the football team and notorious for having a horrible odor.
“Calm down, Simms. Let’s just finish up here, and then head over to my house,” we had agreed to go to Kyle’s house after practice that day because we were going to discuss our plans for the summer.
But for some reason, I had a feeling Kyle announced our plans for more than just confirmation. I caught a glimpse of Gary’s face lighting up, before he walked off with his friends. Evan just stood there, glaring holes in their spines.
“Dicks.”
After finishing up at school, we were escorted to Kyle’s house via a car sent for us. Back then, Kyle was the richest person at Livingston since his Mom was a marine biologist and his Dad was a stockbroker. My parents were just starting to get their careers off the ground. He lived in awhite, three-story whatchamacallit house that looked like a miniature White House.
“Come on in, fellas. Make yourselves home,” Kyle’s mom was a gorgeous, blonde lady. It was hard to imagine she had a son Kyle’s age!
We threw our bags aside while we got comfortable in their Czech-themed living room. There was silence, except for the sound of their wall-mounted HD flat screen, the movie “Mean Girls” playing, and the crackling of the fireplace beneath the T.V.
I voiced my thoughts, “Guys, Idon’t have a good feeling.”
“About what,” Evan asked nonchalantly, his eyes focused on the screen.
“Gary Washington and his friends. Those guys are known for the mischief they cause, and I get a vibe they’re going to mess with us.”
“Don’t sweat over that,” the resident of the home began, “they’re seniors. They’re not dumb enough to try something aweek before graduation and risk their diplomas.”
“Which gives them all the more reason to plan something outside of school.”
“Knight, listen,” Kyle looked away from the movie and punched me inthe arm playfully, “Washington and those guys just like picking with us because we’re more popular than them, and we’re freshmen. Coach likes us better, because we play the game better than them. We’re smarter, and not to mention sexier!”
Evan perked up, “Damn right we are!”
I chuckled and looked away, Kyle wrapped his arms around our necks, “We’re the Three Kings of Livingston. Now stop worrying about nonsense. Let’s talk about summer plans!”
And so we did.
We talked about our summer plans, and that’s when Kyle revealed that he decided to go study abroad for the next couple of years. We were talking about the plans up until nightfall, I remember. Asking questions, periodically trying to talk him out of it, then finally giving in and congratulating him in the end. Everything was going perfect, until his parents left us alone- and his servants were done for the day- that’s when things got scary.
A loud banging noise from the front yard caught our attention, and we all looked at each other, as if trying to decide who was going to go check it out. Our dumbasses decided to watch a scary movie just before too, and it turned us into a bunch of little pussies.
Kyle volunteered as tribute, “Fine, I’ll go see.”
“No, don’t,” Evan screeched, reaching out to him, “that’s how the killer gets in! One of us goes to check, the killer grabs him, then slinks his way in to get the rest! That’s how this shit goes!”
I rolled my eyes and stood up off the couch, following behind Kyle, “Fine, then I’ll go with him. The ‘killer’ can’t get two of us at once.”
“Nuh uh! That’s how I get killed! While you two go investigate, the killer finds another way in the house, and kills the one left alone first. Have you not been paying attention to the movie,” he followed behind us as well, “I’m coming too!”
We chuckled silently to ourselves, looking at Evan while he tries putting on a strong face. Although he succeeded, that blush on his face told us he didn’t want to be left out anyways.
Anyway, we headed to the door, and Kyle looked out the peephole. He glanced out for a good minute until he said, “There’s nothing there.”
“Well, Evan,” I teased, “should we open the door?”
He snorted and pushed pass us, unlocking the door before gripping the handle, “Duh. How else are we going to investigate outside?”
Evan pushed the handle and slowly opened it, peering from the other side and into the darkness. There was nothing. We stood in the doorway and glanced around, seeing no one and finding nothing. Kyle smirked and walked out onto his porch, glancing over his yard.
“Huh, no one here.”
“Yeah, I see that, Kyle! Thanks,” Evan snapped, turning back into the house.
Kyle laughed majestically to our friend’s remark and headed back into the house as well. I was just about to head back in, when a pair of hands clutched my shoulders and pushed me in the house- many footsteps scurrying behind me. When the door slammed shut, I knew only trouble was about to go down.
“U-uh guys… we have visitors,” I announced, shakiness in my voice, when we reached the living room. They turned and looked at me, before rage engulfed their faces.
“What the fuck are you three doing in my house,” Kyle asked after they had pushed me down on the sofa. He walked over to them, with Evan following close behind.
“I sure don’t remember him inviting you three shitheads to our get-together.”
“Quiet,” Gary shouted, shoving Kyle back into Evan, “I’m going to make you faggots pay for humiliating me!”
“We don’t have to do much, Gary. You’re a fucking pro at that already!”
One of Gary’s goons stomped over Evan and pulled a pocket knife of him, and held it dangerously close to his Adam’s apple, “Hey! We’re in charge here tonight, you little cocksucker! Now sit down!”
Evan just stood there, head high and knife close to cutting him. He kept his composure and hardness though, “Fucking make me!”
“Evan, just sit down!”
Kyle quickly walked over and pulled on our friend’s arm, dragging him down on the sofa next to him and me. Gary and his two thugs approached us, all wielding sharp and stainless steel knives.
“What should we do to them, Gary,” one of them asked.
The other one chirped with a sadistic look in his eye, “We should record them stripping to their underwear, dancing, then post it on YouTube and the school website!”
“Have you lost your fucking minds?!”
Gary laughed at Evan’s outburst and waved the knife in his face, “Maybe. Just a little. I never did like you three, with you being freshmen any-fucking-ways. We’re going to make you suffer tonight.”
That’s when I noticed Kyle get really quiet. Usually, he’d be fighting to stop Gary, but his face just turned blank and he didn’t voice his thoughts, “Gary, just leave us alone! We won’t bother you for the rest of next week!”
“Damn right you won’t. By the time we’re done here, all three of you will be in the intensive care unit!”
I felt like my heart was pounding louder than my head, this was scarier than the movie. This was real-life. My life was being threatened all because of our popularity, our playing a sport, our standing up to bullying! Ugh! What are we going to do?!
“I suggest you three get the fuck out of my house, before these walls are painted with your blood.”
“Ooh, the King of Livingston threatening us! How scary,” one of the boys mocked, pretending to shake in fear. The three started laughing heartily and looked at Kyle like he was a plaything.
“Kyle, are you okay,” I asked him lightly, seeing his face expressionless and just deathly looking. He ignored my voice of concern and rose to his feet, walking carelessly to one of Gary’s henchmen.
“Sitcha ass back down before I chop you into millions of pieces, Kyle Collins!”
Kyle ignored the threat and stared at the blade in face. In one quick move, he grabbed the guy by his arm and twisted it, causing the blade to fall victim to gravity. Gary and the other dude rushed Kyle, but he twisted his victim’s arm a little farther, causing him to scream in agony, “Come any closer, and I’ll snap his arm like a fucking twig!”
“Whoa, Kyle! Calm down,” Evan whispered, but keeping his distance.
My eyes trailed to Gary, and watched his movements. He gripped the knife tighter in his hand, then flung at Kyle. He reacted by jerking his hostage in front of the projectile and stopping the blade with the guy’s abdomen.
“Wrong mistake,” his voice slithered, then he twisted the arm against resistance and when the guy’s cries for mercy didn’t reach Kyle’s ears, all we heard was a blood-curdling scream and the snapping of bone.
“Kyle, stop! We don’t have to hurt them this badly!”
I ran up to him and attempted to pull him off the poor guy, but I was pushed off in failure. Evan attempted too, but was thrown off.
Kyle’s eyes returned to Gary’s and his voice spoke in that ominous tone, “Now get the fuck outta here, before I snap your goddamn necks!”
“C’mon Gary, this dude is fucking crazy!”
Gary was frozen in fear, until his friend whimpering on the floor called to him through his tears. Gary helped up his wounded companion and turned back to glare at us three, “This isn’t fucking over!”
“I’ll be waiting.”
And with those words, Gary Washington disappeared into the night alongside his friends. We never saw them again after that event. They never even showed up to their own graduation. Our friendship was never the same either. We vowed to never speak of it, but it always left a space between us. No matter how hard we try to go back to the old days…
~Present Day – Liam’s POV~
“Wow… that’s kinda scary,” I voiced my opinion. Somewhere along the storytelling, our hands grew into a tighter lock. As if holding on to the other for protection, “but wouldn’t you or Evan had done the same thing to protect your friends and yourself?”
“Yeah, I guess, but it was scary if you were actually there. Sure, Kyle was a party animal back then, but he wouldn’t hurt someone. That was Evan’s job.”
Thoughts just ran through my mind like they were on a marathon. I threw my face into Gabriel’s warm, bulging arm and groaned in frustration. Now wishing I hadn’t heard the truth, “So you’re telling me, I’m dating a bipolar maniac who could snap at any time?”
“Something like that… yeah.”
Well this is just fine and dandy. I swore rapidly and consecutively under my breath, “Shit. Shit! SHIT! Fuckity-fuck fuck fuck!”
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m sure Kyle has gotten help for that. Since he’s been back, he hasn’t shown any signs of bipolar disorder.”
My body began clinging onto Gabriel’s arm, like I wanted to pry it off. Oh the irony. I could pry off Gabriel’s arm, while my boyfriend actually did so! I’m going to die, “It’s not like I’m scared of him, but it’s just… I’m scared that he hid that from me!”
“Well if he is better, it probably didn’t need mentioning. Everyone has their little things they can’t tell anyone. You get my drift?”
No, I don’t.
“Yeah, absolutely!”
“Great! Now I’d better get going. It’s,” he checked the time on his phone and stared blankly at the bright screen, “it’s almost four in the morning…”
“Oh jeez! We really did spend the entire night talking!”
He chuckled lightly and slipped his fingers from mine, leaving me with a sense of disappointment. Our eyes met and I blushed lightly, then jerked my head away, coving my smile with my hand, “What is it,” he asked with a snicker in his words.
“Oh nothing,” I replied in a sing-songy type manner. He stood up from the bed and I rolled off, landing on my feet. I opened my bedroom door before saying, “I’ll walk you to your car.”
Walking to the car, we had to tiptoe like ballerinas across the living room since Grandma was a light sleeper and sprawled over the couch in an unbelievable way: one leg thrown over the head of the sofa, her head dangling off the seating, and her arms laying angled on the floor. This scene caused Gabriel to snicker out loud and me hitting him in the arm quieting him.
We successfully snuck out the front door and arrived to that marvelous vehicle parked out front. Gabe leaned on the passenger door and crossed his arms, looking at me, “This was an eventful night.”
“Yeah, it was. Thanks for telling me that story.”
“It’s no problem. Here,” he handed me a slip of paper with his cell number on it, “Hit me up any time you want to get together after school or something.”
I slipped it into my back pocket and smiled, “Will do!”
The conversation grew silent, as unspoken words began to fill the space between us. The thoughts in my head began running wild, chanting ‘Kiss him. Kiss him. Kyle won’t even know. Kiss him. Kiss him’ in a tempting manner.
I just swore under my breath when he said, “So, I’ll see you at school Monday!”
“Okay, see you at school!” ‘You dumbass idiot! Why didn’t you kiss him?!’
I turned my back to him and sighed silently, and started towards the door. When I reached it, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder that caused me to turn around. Moments later, beautiful, pink lips caressed mine.
My heart thudded, and my eyes closed. A pair of soft hands cupped my cheeks pulling me closer. I began stumbling backwards, but he followed, keeping our lips locked. Our bodies pressed against each other when my back hit the door behind me. My arms wrapped around Gabriel’s neck, embracing him to the fullest.
Was someone launching fireworks? I felt multiple sparks tingle all over my body. Did someone start a fire? My body began heating up just from his touch. How did it start raining with no cloud in the sky to be found? Tears slowly trailed from my eyes.
What was happening…?
Our lips finally parted, and our faces were still close, mine still in his hands. His thumbs wipe away the wetness, reminding me of how Kyle did it. Yet, his touch made me feel something different than Kyle’s. It was gently, careful, loving. Softer, more affectionate, and virgin. Something foreign, that I didn’t get with Kyle and… I think I wanted it more than anything.
“See you Monday,” he whispered, before sadly pulling away and walking back to his car. I watched him get in it and drive off into the morning light.
Going back into the house, Grandma was fully awake and glancing at me curious.
“What are you doing up so early?”
“Oh, I was just saying goodnight to Gabriel.”
“More like ‘good morning’,” I crossed her and went into the kitchen with her following behind puckishly, “You’re telling me that boy spent the night here?!”
“It wasn’t like that! We were talking the entire night,” Lie. I couldn’t look at Grandma at all after that. She’d see that smile on my face, and know that it wasn’t sleep that put it there, “Time got away from us and he had to go home.”
She got close to me. Dangerously close to me. I had to literally stick my head in the refrigerator to hide my face, “Mhm. Is that all you two do? Did you at least use a Trojan?”
“GRAND-MOTHER,” I shouted, blushing extremely and glaring over at her. Then catching the ‘I-Know-You-Did-More-Than-Just-Talk’ look on her face, I giggled and shovedmy face back in the fridge.
“Don’t you ‘Grandmother’ me! I understand, Liam! You’re young, your hormones are raging. Shit, I would let him raid my caboose, too!”
“Oh my goodness, would you stop that?! That’s disgusting,” I cringed, only to receive a hearty laugh. I swear, one of these days, that woman is going to either keel over in laughter, or take someone’s man.
My money’s on the latter.
~
It was Monday morning; I was dressed and ready for school. I decided to wear the outfit Evan bought me, the black blazer, gray V-neck, gray skinny jeans, and the Timberland boots. Finishing it off with the ‘Liam’ necklace Gabriel gave me. To switch it up even more, I put in my Acuvue contact lenses.
I exited my bedroom and seated myself at one of the open places at the dining table, only to be joined by Grandma and Dad. Mom came out the kitchen and set breakfast plates in the four spots. Dad and Grandma were trying to have a stare-off against me, I’m guessing. I began eating, and blatantly ignored them. Mom joined the table and snap her fingers at them.
“Why are you two staring holes into Liam’s head?”
“Carla,” Dad coughed up after taking a sip of his coffee, “Do you know Gabriel Knight?”
I choked on a piece of bacon when I heard him mention Gabriel’s name. All six eyes glanced at me to make sure I was okay before continuing their conversation, “Of course. He’s that nice boy that gave Liam a ride to school that one day. Didn’t he give you that necklace too,” I nodded, drinking my OJ, “What about him?”
“Apparently, while we were sleeping, Gabriel was in Liam’s room all night until Sunday morning.”
I sighed, rolled my eyes, and leaned back in my chair when I heard Mom gasp. I turned to Grandma and sneered at her, “Congrats Grandma, you just broke your record. Longest time for holding a secret, is now one. Full. Day!”
She shrugged nonchalantly and sipped her coffee, “Your parents have a right to know who their son has been with at all hours of the night.”
“I’m eighteen now, Grandma. They don’t need to know all my personal business,” my body started moving. I stood from my seat and slammed my fists down on the table, “And for the last time! We were just talking!”
“Whoa! Young man, I don’t know where that tone voice came from, but that is not how you treat adults in this house! Apologize to your grandmother,” Dad’s voice had gained that commanding boom, but it didn’t do any good but make me angrier.
“I’m practically an adult now too, Dad! I think I hold the right to have my own private business without having someone blab falsehoods!”
“You are most certainly not an adult with that attitude! And your grandmother did not ‘blab falsehoods’! I was wondering why there was a strange car parked outside our house so late at night. You know better than that Liam Andrew Jenkins!”
I sighed and excused myself from the table without saying much else. I headed back to my bedroom and grabbed my backpack. On my nightstand rested the keys to the Ford Escape, and I snatched them up before starting for the door.
Mom called, “Liam! You’re going to school now? It’s still early!”
“I think it’s for the best that I leave for a while. Sorry Mom, sorry Grandma,” I mumbled before leaving out.
I refuse to let myself cry over this. I finally stood my ground. No way was I going to let them start controlling my life. Especially my dad, who has the biggest problem with my homosexuality in that household.
I unlocked the doors to my new vehicle and threw my bag in the passenger seat. I hopped in the driver’s chair and was taken by that new car smell. I did everything I could remember about driving. Adjusted my mirrors, clicked my seatbelt, started the car, placed my hands on ten and two, shifted the car in reverse, checked my oncoming traffic, provided gas, then accelerated down the road.
~
I pulled into the student parking lot and ducked under the steering wheel when I saw eyes turn my way. Dammit! I hate it when people turn and look at something, like a squirrel hearing something close to it then perking up! Ugh!
I chose a parking spot a small distance away from the gym doors since the first three belonged to the King and his disciples. It was still fairly early, but there was one car sitting among those spots. A certain black 2014 Sierra GMC. Evan’s truck.
I got out of my Escape and locked it with the keypad before strolling over to Evan, who was leaning against his vehicle, like he was waiting on someone. I wave at him lightly, catching his undivided attention. He seemed approving of my new look.
“Well, well. Liam Jenkins. Didn’t know you had it in you.”
“Had… what in me,” I chuckled light-heartedly and embarrassedly.
“The will to break from that shitty wardrobe and those geeky-ass glasses.”
I frowned, crossing my arms and glaring at him. I can’t believe he had the gall to say that!
He laughed merrily in front of me, and laughed a bit harder when he saw my face, “Fuck you, Evan!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where is all this bravado coming from? Is Kyle putting the ‘goods’ to you, or what?”
“The goods?”
“Uhm, yeah. The ‘goods’. You do know who you’re dating right?”
Now this peaked my interest even more about who I’m dating. Seems like Evan knew something that Gabriel didn’t tell me. My face tuned in, and my ears opened, “What do you mean? Do you know something about Kyle?”
“Only the same shit Gabe knows. You act as if you guys didn’t get to know each other before you started dating.”
Wow, for once I agreed with Evan. We didn’t get to know each other. It was all so fast! We met, he met my parents, asked me to be his boyfriend, hung out the entire next week, had sex, and then started dating. Maybe we should take a step back and actually get to know eachother. But then… there’s Gabriel…
“Speaking of the bastards, there they are,” he smirked, watching as the black Stingray and silver Monte Carlo drive into the parking lot, taking their respective places in their spaces. Fucking great, I have both Kyle and Gabriel in front of me at the same time. What am I going to do?!
Gabriel stepped out his car and gave me a quick smirk when I waved at him. He then disregarded me and gave Evan what looked like a masculine hug. He looked… extra delicious today.
His long hair brushed down and combed so perfectly, his hard biceps stretching the fabric on a red Aeropostale shirt, those beautiful legs revealed through black Dickies’ shorts, and red, low-top Converse. Just thinking about him made me lick my lips and lust for him.
“Hey babe,” Kyle’s voice snapped me out of my daydream and urged me toface him. Even he looked like Heaven today.
His hair messy, but styled, his huge arms showing through a sleeveless, gray, Abercrombie & Fitch shirt, white skinny jeans squeezing all the right places, and high, black boots laced over the bottom of his jeans’ legs.
“Hey,” I mumbled, standing on my tiptoes and pecking him softly on the lips. He looked me up and down, giving me a seductive smirk.
“Don’t you look sexy today?”
“Well, I try,” my eyes accidentally trailed over to Gabriel and Evan, who watched us act like the couple we were. Evan had an annoyed look on his face, but Gabriel had an angry mask. I think I knew why: he couldn’t bare the sight of Kyle and me together. Next thing I realized, he and Evan started inside the school.
“You noticed how they were looking at us?”
“I did. They were totally jealous,” ‘Play it off nice and cool, Liam. You’re doing a good job!’
Kyle got extremely close to my ear and whispered something so seductive and scandalous, it was such a turn-on, “During lunch, you want to… sneak off somewhere and fuck?”
A blush found its way onto my face, and I couldn’t but be just as lustful with my answer, “Only if you can hold out the full lunch period.”
He chuckles, “Oh babe, we’re going to need much more time than that. Let’s just hope your can keep quiet while I’m fucking the-”
“Shh! Kyle,” I urged, looking about us as we began walking to the Gym entrance, “Don’t say things like that out loud!”
“Heh, whatever.”
We were walking among the students inside the building, but we were holding hands- and I was clinging to his arm, but that’s irrelevant- and all eyes were onus, just like my dream. Although, I paid no attention to the popularity boost, because we were whispering sweet nothings as we were walking, oblivious to what or who was in front of us.
My body collided with someone’s back, sending me stumbling back and what felt like a brick wall forward.
Kyle caught me in his arms and frowned before looking back at the obstacle, “Hey, dude! Mind NOT standing in the middle of the hallway?!”
Before I could react, the guy turned around, and there stood Evan with an enraged look on his face. He and Kyle had a stare-down and it wasn’t boding well. A bunch of students started crowding around us to watch.
“How about you tell your boyfriend,” he cringed at the word, “to watch where he’s going, yeah?”
Kyle stepped toe-to-toe with Evan, noses touching, “Well he wouldn’t have to watch where he was going if bitches like you didn’t stand in the fucking way.”
“Call me another ‘bitch’, and I’ll fuck you up. I don’t give a damn how long I’ve known you, I will never let you disrespect me and get away with it.”
I was just about to intervene when Gabriel pried them apart, stepping in between them to give each other elbow grease, “Evan! Kyle! The fuck, guys?! We’re friends! Friends don’t argue like this!”
“Well he fucking started it,” Evan yelled, still glaring daggers into Kyle. Kyle glared them right back but tenfold.
“You should learn that you don’t fucking run these halls, Jonathan Simms! I do!”
“Now that’s where you’re wrong! Your time is over Kyle, get the fuck over it! You lost your shot to earn it back when you decided to affiliate yourselves with the bottom of the fucking caste system!”
My face dropped and a heavy sigh escaped my lips. I can’t believe I was about to do this, “Stop fucking saying that, Evan! I’m not the bottom of the caste system! I’m NOT!”
“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to like that?! You must not know my reputation around here, you fucking nerd!”
“Don’t you dare talk to my boyfriend like that, you piece of shit,” Kyle tried to step forward, but Gabriel blocked his way, “Knight, move! Don’t get involved in this!”
“Well I already am involved in it, so knock it off you! Both of you!”
Then, the tension started rising again. I knew, someone had dropped the atomic bomb when Kyle retaliated, “And what fuck are you going to do if I don’t? You closeted fag. Now move!”
The entire student body ‘oohed’ in reaction, and Gabriel’s face changed from urgency to anger. He stood up straight and balled his fists, glaring into Kyle’s, “So, you want to go there Kyle? You want to fight below the belt?!”
He was silent, and I took it as an opportunity to chime in, “Kyle, that’s enough. Let’s just go to class.”
“Oh no, Liam. This involves you too. Just wait,” Gabriel’s voice was shaky, but it was firm and founded on determination. He pushed Kyle back and started announcing, “Everyone, listen up! You all know our precious Kyle Collins has returned. The former King of Livingston. And all of you know that he’s currently dating Liam Jenkins, the smartest senior in the school! But what NO ONE knows is that Kyle Collins is a backstabbing, two-timing, conniving fuck!”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Oh fuck you Kyle,” if words were weapons, then everyone would be cut symmetrically, “Kyle Collins thinks that buying someone a forty-thousand dollar car would be enough to have someone under him! To have them blinded to the things he’s actually doing! So tell me something, if you can! If Kyle Collins is such a great boyfriend, then why does he go around, kissing and fucking everyone in his path,” gasps filled the halls and low murmurs started flying about in small groups, but they were everywhere. Then, my eyes met Gabriel’s, as he spoke his next line, my heart was ripped from my chest, “Including me…?”
“No! You’re lying! I don’t believe you! Kyle would never do anything like that! Kyle,” I called his name, but he didn’t reply. Tell me it’s not true… just tell me he’s lying and I would believe you! Just tell me… but he didn’t. I turned to him, tears already rushing down my face, and my voice becoming hoarse from yelling, “KYLE! Answer me! Fucking answer me already!”
“It’s true,” I heard a voice yell from within the crowd. Everyone turned toward the source, and Holly pushed herself into the inner circle, “At your birthday party, I watched these two make out on your front porch… I’m sorry, Liam.”
My body started breaking down, and my mind started going numb. I didn’t know what to do! I just backed away from the scene; I backed away from Kyle, I backed away from Gabriel, I backed away from Evan, I even backed away from Holly. I backed away from them all. I couldn’t see them anyway, my contacts had fallen out of my eyes thanks to the excessive tears. I was hurt, I was destroyed, and I was broken. I clutched my heart, it kept beating, but I swore it stopped periodically. My knees started wobbling, but I had to keep going. There was an opening in the students where they allowed me to get out and that’s where I ran through.
My feet carried me out of the school building and threw me into the Escape. I started up the car and drifted maniacally out of the parking lot. Horns blowing warnings at me, but I couldn’t hear them through the sound of my crying.
Why…? Why did this have to happen to me?!
Was it because I was disrespectful to my parents?!
I’m Sorry!
Was it because I had premarital sex?!
I’m Sorry!
Was it because I was gay?!
I’m Sorry!
Was it because I was born?!
I’m Sorry!
I heard the sound of an eighteen wheeler honking its horn ferociously, but I didn’t care. I didn’t give a damn. I just kept driving. I just kept driving until---
*CRASH*
~
Thank you all for being so supportive and so patient for “Closeted”. I really truly appreciate it. I want you guys to know how much I love you all and even when I don’t update, I am typing out the next chapter. We have finally reached the climax, and the closet is open. Now everything here on out is going downhill until the smashing (and interactive) conclusion. Be sure to vote, comment, share the story, and add it to your libraries and reading lists. Also, make sure to follow me for a lot of things you can’t get me if you don't! Until the next update, my lovely calves! Tatertots~!